6 Reasons You Should Have Your Website Evaluated by a Professional

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If you currently have a website that you built yourself or maybe you’ve had it for a few years, it might be time to consider getting it evaluated by a professional.

Here are a few reasons that should get you thinking.

Out-dated Screams “OLD” and “UNTRUSTWORTHY”

When I’m surfing the net doing research I often come across websites that I can easily tell are at least 10 years old. They have a look to them that just screams, “I’m OLD”! When I see that, I usually click away and not just because of the design, but because it leaves me with the impression the information is out-dated and possibly incorrect to todays standards. I just don’t feel I can trust it.

Like everything else, your website design should stay somewhat current with today’s design elements. Even old heritage homes get facelifts to freshen them up, why shouldn’t your website be the same?

If your website is more than say 4 years old, I would definitely recommend you get a new fresh look and feel. An evaluation by a professional will go a long way in helping you choose a new look, feel and layout that will wow your visitors and keep them coming back.

Times are a Changin’ …Quickly – Static is so Passé

Static websites are a thing of the past. If you’re website doesn’t have a dynamic quality to it, you are missing out on tons of search engine love. Search engines are looking for sites with new and fresh content. If your site never changes, the engines have no reason to visit, therefore, nothing to report back and finally your site gets buried.

Internet technology is changing everyday, you need to keep up in order to keep your website afloat. The ability to constantly add new content is crucial to your website’s success.

New ways to Promote Your Business – Take Advantage of Webinars, Social Media and Video

Chances are, if your website is old or you’ve created it all on your own, your missing out on some exciting and innovative new ways to market your website and excite your visitors.

The introduction of social media, video marketing and even things like webinars have changed the way people experience the web immensely. You need to start considering how you can incorporate these new(er) ways of marketing your business. Keep in mind, your competitors are already starting to see the advantages and they won’t hesitate to use them to dominate your industry.

Optimize it to the Max! – Make Sure Your Pages, Images and Content are Optimized

Is your website optimized properly? Are you using old techniques that may get your website banned from the search engines?

Sometimes, having someone look in from the outside can shine some light on things you miss. They could offer a few suggestions to maximize your rankings and show you how to make the most of free search traffic.

There are Easier Ways to Add New Content Yourself -Content Management Systems

I mentioned that static sites are a thing of the past and that’s because content management systems (CMS) are ruling the world.

Wordpress, Joomla, EzPublish, Drupal and others are generally easy to use and much easier to update than static html sites. Their ability to create dynamic content automatically by simply posting from the admin area makes changing, updating and growing your website a breeze.

Some have a bigger learning curve than others, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel proud to jump online and update your own site whenever you need to.

An evaluation with a web development professional should help you decide the best one for you and your business.

Security Issues – Out-dated Software and Scripts can be Harmful

Older sites can be fair game for online predators.

If you are using a static html site and still using old scripts for your contact forms, you could be at risk.

If you’re using an older CMS that is no longer supported, you could be at risk.

The bad guys are getting smarter everyday, and those old scripts are now a cakewalk for them. It wouldn’t take much for them to throw a virus your way or hijack your entire site.

It’s very important that you keep all of your software updated and current. Those guys writing the code are working feverishly behind the scenes to keep ahead of the bad guys just so you can rest easy. But if your still using out-dated software you’re leaving yourself very vulnerable.

With the internet is changing at the speed of light, it would be wise to have your site evaluated by a professional sooner rather than later (even if you plan to make the changes yourself). Keeping up with the times, being safe and giving your visitors a better experience, will all increase your sales.

Why not take another look at your website today and see if maybe it’s time to freshen it up.